Liverpool scouts watches ‘Iranian Messi’ again

Liverpool are tracking Rostov striker Sardar Azmoun, nicknamed the ‘Iranian Messi’, and saw him score against Anderlecht this week.

The Reds sent a scout to watch the 21-year-old forward in Rostov’s Champions League third qualifying round second leg clash in Brussels.

And Azmoun didn’t disappoint – scoring one of Rostov’s two goals on the night that sent them through to the next round with a 4-2 aggregate victory.

Liverpool were not the only major club represented at the match, with Everton, Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen and Marseille also present.

Everton have also been linked to the Iranian international in the past but the Anfield club have monitored him for longer and were first linked to Azmoun in January 2015, following his performances in the Asian Cup in Australia.

He scored two goals during that tournament and was the subject of move talk on his return to Russia where his parent club, Rubin Kazan, were holding out for £5million bids for the young striker.

Rubin loaned him out to Rostov last season, where he scored nine Russian Premier League goals in 15 starts, and extended the loan into the start of the current campaign as Rostov bid for a Champions League group stage berth.